Chichester couple David and Helen Grounds have hit the right note with their well-established business which uses music to promote health benefits for care home residents.
Music For Health (MFH) was founded by David, a professional musician, composer, arranger and orchestrator, using the premise that “music profoundly effects all our lives, both consciously and subconsciously”.
The company run interactive music workshops and following a successful nation wide roll out of franchising there are now more than 30,000 residents in care who benefit from the holistic approach.
David has spent more than 20 years composing unique pieces of music to help individuals re-balance as speedily as possible, using particular vibrational levels in music. The MFH workshops are said to bet un, stimulating and extremely varied. He explains: “People in residential care needed a programme of balanced music on a regular basis. It assists them in attaining their optimum happiness and equilibrium.
“Each and every piece of music we use in an MFH workshop comes through the studio and often I make some adjustment to ensure that each piece is as suitable as is humanly possible for the residents in care we work with. It could be that a particular song has little known verses – these would be taken out, perhaps a beautiful classical piece may have meandering sections removed without spoiling the soul of the piece.
“It could be that up tempo music is too long and as a consequence, too tiring, or the introduction to a piece is so quiet that a good proportion of Residents just wouldn’t hear it. The whole point of what I do is to ensure that every effort has been made to make MFH workshops an amazing experience for all residents whatever their difficulties.”
Care home professionals agree. Christine Upjohn, from Pendean House, Midhurst, says: “The varied programme of exercises to music is both mentally and physically stimulating. It is good to see so many of our residents relaxing and joining in.We would highly recommend this programme.”
Helen, whose career was in classical ballet and choreography, reveals MFH has been called the “UK’s happiest company” and adds: “None of us are perfect, but we all do our best. We are there for our wonderful team in every way possible and over the years the team have proved that they are there for us too.”
Fore more information, call 01243 779228.
